The FBI, in collaboration with allied governments, has successfully disabled a widespread Chinese hacking operation known as "Volt Typhoon." This operation was directly linked to the Chinese government and had been active since 2021, targeting critical U.S. infrastructure including telecommunications companies, energy grids, transportation, and water systems. The hackers had gained access to networks that could potentially disrupt essential services and compromise national security.
This campaign specifically targeted U.S. broadband providers, potentially accessing information from federal wiretap systems, which could expose sensitive communication data. The operation, also known as "Salt Typhoon," has been found to have compromised over 200 American organizations across 80 countries, according to the FBI. The infiltrations provided Chinese intelligence with the capability to identify, track, and potentially intercept communications of their targets globally.
Three private Chinese companies—Beijing Huanyu Tianqiong Information Technology, Sichuan Zhixin Ruijie Network Technology, and Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology—were identified as assisting China's Ministry of State Security in this campaign. These companies played a role in the extensive hacking of global telecommunications, including major U.S. providers like AT&T and Verizon, granting access to phone data of millions and enabling location tracking. While AT&T and Verizon claim to have removed the hackers, the threat of re-infiltration remains. The U.S. and its allies, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, and the UK, have collectively condemned these actions, with the Treasury Department sanctioning Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology earlier this year.
